Ryan O’Reilly Toronto Maple LeafsChris Johnston: It’s encouraging news from the Leafs’ end of things as Kyle Dubas said, definitively, that Ryan O’Reilly will be back before the playoffs. That wasn’t necessarily in total question but they’ve been more vague with his timeline previous to this, especially after he suffered that broken left index finger earlier this month.
An interesting thing that Kyle Dubas noted was that the nature of the break was an encouraging one. It was a clean break and one that should heal pretty well. They are expecting O’Reilly to resume skating this week with an anticipated return of a little sooner than when the playoffs start five weeks from now.
Are there updates on other injured players around the league?
Mark Stone Vegas Golden KnightsDarren Dreger: There are injury issues for a number of clubs around the National Hockey League. It’s a delicate time of year as you approach the later stages of the second half of the regular season.
The Colorado Avalanche have announced that Artturi Lehkonen is going to be out for several weeks. There has not been much of an update coming from the Vegas Golden Knights about Mark Stone because he’s been out for a period of time now but he needs that much more before they have a better idea of where he’s at and whether or not he can be a playoff participant.
You think of Ryan O’Reilly and you think of Mark Stone and they are the heartbeats of their organizations in many respects.
What discussions have taken place about potential rule changes, like the expansion of the coach’s challenge?
D.J. SmithJohnston: I’d say this is the early stage of discussion. I don’t expect that when the meetings wrap on Wednesday, we’ll be having a formal change to the rule. At this point, I think they’re wrestling with the idea of “What do you do with technology?”
We can all sit here and say we want to get as many calls absolutely correct as possible but there’s a line there, especially when you’re looking at high-sticking plays and whether it’s “friendly fire” or not. Do you potentially want to be reviewing an extra 700 penalties? Which is how many high-sticking calls there currently are. Does that review have to come in the form of a coach’s challenge, where the coach is making that call? Or does the league do it? They’re even talking about putting a watch on the referee so they can buzz him. The point being is I don’t think they’ve landed on any one area that this is going to go to I think we’ll be talking about this in future meetings when we get together.
Dreger: I agree. But there’s a public relations twist to this as well, right? Because we’re so good at what we do. Technology is enhanced over time and the NHL is tired of getting hit over the head with missed calls so that’s why when you look at the puck over glass or a phantom high stick, or friendly fire in the high stick category, that’s why they’re having this discussion here.
You have to fast forward and look at the bigger picture. Can you envision a coach in a playoff environment, say overtime, calling a coach’s challenge and potentially going into a 5-on-3 situation if they get that challenge wrong? The general managers would prefer the NHL keep that in-house and that decision, whether to apply video review or not, is handled by the situation room. But then you’ve got the NHL saying “All right, we’ve got it wrong once, we don’t want to get it wrong twice.” So there are a lot of layers to this.
Are referees going to be held accountable?
Wes McCauleyJohnston: They are and director of officiating Stephen Walkom addressed the GMs on Tuesday. One of the things he did in his presentation is show a video of a day in the life of veteran official Wes McCauley. That detailed through a game the kind of discussion that are had between periods among the officials, how the officiating director on site communicates with the referee and points out, maybe, “Hey you missed a call here or you could have done this there.” [It even showed] how McCauley himself breaks the game down the next day and looks at his own performance.
This is a stressful time of year between the referees and the GMs on how those calls go down but a little accountability lesson was a part of the presentation on this day.
Gino Reda: Looking ahead to Day 3 of the general managers’ meetings, there’s going to be some news. We expect to find out the date of the Draft Lottery. With Connor Bedard waiting in the wings, expect some pomp and circumstance.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
Mark Stone Vegas Golden KnightsDarren Dreger: There are injury issues for a number of clubs around the National Hockey League. It’s a delicate time of year as you approach the later stages of the second half of the regular season.
D.J. SmithJohnston: I’d say this is the early stage of discussion. I don’t expect that when the meetings wrap on Wednesday, we’ll be having a formal change to the rule. At this point, I think they’re wrestling with the idea of “What do you do with technology?”
Wes McCauleyJohnston: They are and director of officiating Stephen Walkom addressed the GMs on Tuesday. One of the things he did in his presentation is show a video of a day in the life of veteran official Wes McCauley. That detailed through a game the kind of discussion that are had between periods among the officials, how the officiating director on site communicates with the referee and points out, maybe, “Hey you missed a call here or you could have done this there.” [It even showed] how McCauley himself breaks the game down the next day and looks at his own performance.
